Zim News Blog -NEWS NETWORK

Debra Matabvu

ZIMBABWEANS living in South Africa  will start applying and receiving passports in Johannesburg and Cape Town in March, while those living in the United Kingdom and the United States  will access similar services before year-end, The Sunday Mail has established.

The Government plans to open passport offices in five countries this year to facilitate easy access to travel documents.

Also, this month, a passport centre will be opened in Mwenezi, Masvingo Province, as the decentralisation of critical services continues.

The projects are part of Government’s efforts to establish state-of-the-art e-passport enrolment centres in the country and abroad to bring convenience to locals and those in the Diaspora.

Registrar-General Mr Henry Machiri told The Sunday Mail that the first foreign passport office will be set up in SA to serve the large Zimbabwean community   there.

“Renovations at the embassy’s offices in South Africa are complete and during the first quarter of this year, we are going to open passport centres at our embassies in Johannesburg and Cape Town. South Africa is one of the countries with the largest population of Zimbabweans. Therefore, it is one of the countries that we are starting with,” he said.

“This year, we are planning on setting up passport centres in five countries and so far, we have South Africa, London in the UK and the US. We have not yet figured out where the other two centres will be located.

“We are starting with countries that have the highest number of Zimbabweans, while consultations will continue on the next two stations.”

Mr Machiri said the fees will remain pegged at US$150 and US$250 for ordinary and emergency passports, respectively, even for applicants in the diaspora.

“The fees for passports will be the same because production of these documents is being done in Zimbabwe. The applicants’ details outside of Zimbabwe will now be sent through our offices and the passports will be sent back through our offices,” he added.

“In Zimbabwe, we are also going to open more passport centres, with one set to be opened in Mwenezi this January. So, we will continue to target more offices internally and externally.”

Opening of passport offices abroad will dovetail with an ongoing programme to give a facelift to all Zimbabwe embassies around the world.

Presenting the 2024 National Budget, Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion Minister Professor Mthuli Ncube said funds had been set aside for the exercise.

“Government will continue to upgrade and construct the country’s chanceries and embassies in key areas that promote engagement and re-engagement. Efforts will also be made to collaborate with the private sector through private-public partnerships in this programme,” he said.

At least 14 passport offices have been set up countrywide, with close to 200 000 travel documents having been issued since the introduction of e-passports in January 2022.

E-passports are now being processed at the Harare passport registry and at provincial and district offices in Bulawayo, Gwanda, Gweru, Lupane, Marondera, Beitbridge, Chitungwiza, Hwange, Mazowe, Murewa, Zvishavane, Chinhoyi and Guruve.

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. . . rolls out major clean-up campaign

Sunday Mail Reporter

The GOVERNMENT has stepped in to restore sanity in the capital, Harare, by supplying potable water and rolling out a major clean-up campaign to curb the spread of cholera.

Thirty-six trucks have been mobilised for the seven-day blitz, codenamed “Operation Chenesa Harare”, which began on Friday and will be targeting solid waste dumps in the central business district (CBD) and residential areas.

Over 122 tonnes of garbage were cleared on the first day of the operation.

The authorities, who have since mapped cholera hotspots within the city, will also embark on a vaccination campaign targeting about two million people in the worst affected areas over the next few weeks.

In addition, efforts were being directed towards boosting the amount of potable water being pumped from the city’s water treatment plants from the current 250 mega-litres per day.

Cholera cases have been steadily rising in recent weeks, raising public alarm, amid concerns over the capital’s poor sanitation and water shortages.

Harare City Council has proved to be incapable of providing basic services, which is putting the live of residents at risk.

A high-level meeting involving officials from the Ministry of Health and Child Care; the Ministry of Local Government and Public Works; and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion will be convened tomorrow to facilitate the release of funds to procure water treatment chemicals for Harare.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Health and Child Care Minister Dr Douglas Mombeshora said the operation was necessitated by rising cholera cases across the city.

“As you know, it (cholera) is a deadly disease when not managed well, but the causes are easily preventable, because it is caused by poor hygiene and sanitation conditions,” said Dr Mombeshora.

“Part of this (operation) is to address these poor hygiene conditions which are prevailing in Harare.

“It is the duty of Government to intervene when things are not moving properly.

“Harare City Council is failing to collect garbage, provide potable water, proper sewer reticulation system and solid waste management.”

The Government, Dr Mombeshora said, had mobilised resources from both the public and private sectors to undertake the operation.

“We had given ourselves one week, starting from January 5 up to January 12, to ensure that all the garbage in Harare is collected.”

To facilitate the seamless implementation of the blitz, he said, the authorities had subdivided the city into different regions to ensure efficiency.

“In total we have 13 tipper trucks, six front-end loaders, a backhoe loader and 16 refuse compactors

“Yesterday (Friday), we managed to remove slightly over 122 tonnes, with all the garbage taken to Pomona dumpsite.”

He added: “So, we have arranged five regions, with region one covering the CBD, Mbare, Sunningdale, Waterfalls and Hatfield.

“Region two will cover Harare South, which is Southlea Park, Hopley and Ushewokunze.”

Region three covers Highfield, Southerton, Glen Norah, Glen View, Churu Farm, Budiriro and Mufakose — areas the Government said were typically cholera hotspots.

“Fourteen trucks are operating in this region,” he added.

“We are hoping that within seven days, all the garbage will have been cleared.”

Region four will cover Dzivaresekwa, Warren Park, Kambuzuma, Kuwadzana, Mabelreign, Marlborough and Mt Pleasant, while Borrowdale, Hatcliffe, Highlands, Mabvuku and Tafara fall under region five.

“We are also going to the next stage, where we want to provide clean potable water,” he added.

“Government is moving in to provide resources to procure water treatment chemicals, which will be provided to the City of Harare.

“Currently, I am informed that the supply of potable water has dropped from 350 megalitres to 250 megalitres.

“We have scheduled a meeting on Monday with the Ministry of Finance on the issue of water treatment chemicals.”

The Government, he also said, will closely monitor schools to ensure cholera does not spread in these learning institutions.

“On the issue of opening of schools, it (cholera) is not highly contagious as compared to Covid-19.

“We want all schools to implement proper hygiene.

“We are hoping that by the time schools open, there will be enough water; soap will be provided, and we are also encouraging foot baths so the learners decontaminate.

“It does not necessitate delay in the opening of schools,” said Dr Mombeshora.

“At every school, there should be a health educator, who will be monitoring compliance.”

He said Government will soon begin dispatching cholera vaccines to hotspot areas.

“We had our last meeting with the World Health Organisation two days ago, and we have mapped districts that are affected, because we do not have enough vaccines to cover the whole country and we have a target of about two million people.

“Hopefully, by Wednesday, we will have approvals, then we will start getting the vaccines.”

Since the outbreak of cholera in February last year, Zimbabwe has recorded 15 137 suspected cases, 1 759 confirmed cases, 14 578 recoveries, 67 confirmed deaths and 266 suspected deaths.

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Source: Zim’s asset management sector in the red – The Standard

THE Securities and Exchange Commission of Zimbabwe (SecZim) has rated earnings for the asset management sector for the quarter ended September 30 2023 as ‘critical’ after total operating profit for the industry decreased by 2 545%.

The industry faced a number of challenges during the quarter, which included high inflation, market volatility, central bank rates hike, market volatility and interest rate movements, and exchange rate instability.

According to the latest SecZim report, 14 out of 23 asset managers reported operating profits while nine entities recorded losses.

The sector’s capital was, however, rated fair.

“The asset management sector earnings were rated critical for the period under review.

“The industry total and average operating profit for the quarter amounted to $3,30 billion and $143,4 million respectively,” the report reads in part.

“Total operating profit for the industry decreased by 2 545% from $87,3 billion recorded in the second quarter of 2023.”

Explaining the situation to Standardbusiness, SecZim chief executive officer Anymore Taruvinga said each quarter, the securities market intermediaries submit their returns to the organisation, which are evaluated to determine appropriate ratings.

“The evaluation revealed that the asset managers’ earnings dropped dramatically in the third quarter,” Taruvinga said.

“The average profit for the quarter was the lowest since the first quarter of 2022.

“It simply means that industry profitability is falling and that some asset managers are making losses.”

Old Mutual Investment Group led the investment management firms with the highest market share of 53,09% for the period under review, followed by CBZ and First Mutual Wealth with market shares of 7,22% and 6,72% respectively.

The report also shows that custodial services business, which is primarily carried out by registered banks namely, CABS, CBZ, FBC, Standard Chartered, Stanbic, and ZB, held assets on behalf of clients worth $11,68 trillion, representing a 7,04% quarter-on-quarter increase from the previous quarter.

Local clients accounted for 81,85% of assets under custody (AUC) while foreign clients accounted for the remaining 18,15%.

 Comparatively, local clients accounted for 89,18% in the second quarter of 2023, while foreign clients accounted for 10,82% of total AUC.

The report says as at September 30 2023, the total value of securities administered by the transfer secretaries amounted to $7,05 trillion and US$409,82 million.

First Transfer Secretaries with 69,80% commands the highest market share in the industry followed by ZB Transfer Secretaries with 16,02% and Corpserve Registrars with 14,18%.

The sector’s earnings were rated strong.

The sector reported average revenue of $3,02 billion against average operating expenditure of $1,19 billion.

The total industry profit for the period was $5,49 billion averaging $1,83 billion with all the firms reporting positive earnings.

The sector’s capital rating was rated satisfactory, with all three Transfer Secretaries adequately capitalised.

The unclaimed shares portfolio valuation stood at $13,63 billion and US$667 568.

In 2024, the Investor Protection Fund (IPF) in collaboration with SecZim intends to focus on the work of a committee made up of independent stockbrokers and stockbroking firms.

The committee had commenced the process of allocation and interrogation of unclaimed portfolios to arrive at a know-your-customer position, which promotes the identification of and claims by the owners of shares in this portfolio.

“Publicity will be key and the IPF proposes to fund a nation-wide all-media campaign to raise awareness and activate claims,” it said.

The IPF shed 6,57% to $20,48 billion from $21,92 billion recorded in the prior quarter. As at September 30 2023, listed equities’ market value decreased by 10% to $11,82 billion from $15 billion recorded in the prior quarter.

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Source: War vets in trouble for invading farm – The Standard

A group of war veterans from Mashonaland West are facing prosecution after invading a farm owned by the son of Zimbabwe’s former ambassador to the United Nations Tirivafi Kangai.

The former liberation war fighters fronting the Zvimba East Veterans Investment Company (Zevic) have been allegedly parcelling out housing stands at Takudzwa Panganai Kangai’s  Pemrose Farm west of Nyabira Township illegally.

Kangai has been battling to gain control of the 251 hectare farm after it was taken over by the war veterans led by Mike Chingadzo, Clifford Rutsate, Fanuel, Cornelius Muwoni, Joel Mazhambe and Joe Chimhonyo who are said to be the Zevic directors.

According to police records seen by Standard People, “the accused persons invaded the two subdivisions, opened roads, pegged residential stands, sunk a borehole and erected wooden cabins (that) they are using as offices.”

“They advertised for sale residential stands and unsuspecting residential stands seekers are paying varying amounts of money, which is being accepted and receipted by Zvimba East Veterans Investment Company,” reads an affidavit from the Zimbabwe Republic Police General Headquarters’ National Lands Inpectorate that was signed in November last year.

The Zevic directors will now appear at the Chinhoyi magistrate court on February 6 facing charges of violating section 63 of the Land Commission Act Chapter 20:29 (purported alienation of gazetted or other state land).

It was alleged that the war veterans were selling housing stands ranging from 250m2 to 1500m2 for between US$3 600 to US$16 000.

Kangai said the invasion of his farm had thrown his plans to invest on the property into disarray.

“After much struggle and great effort spanning a four-year period from 2016 to 2020, I managed to secure this farm and was in a position to begin substantial infrastructure investments such as permanent fencing and installing centre pivots when this highly disruptive invasion by Zevic occurred,” he told Standard People.

“There were already seven or eight illegal settlers, who had unprocedurally occupied various areas of the land allocated to me by the Ministry of Agriculture in 2020, so this recent invasion has greatly added to the delay of well-planned farming projects on the land.”

Zvimba Rural District Council last year issued a statement warning the public against buying residential stands from the war veterans.

 “Zvimba Rural District Council wishes to notify its stakeholders and members of the public that portion of lot 1 of Penrose, (land lying between Harare/Chirundu road and the railway line) and portion of Penrose farm west of Nyabira Township is an illegal land development,” read the statement.

“Anyone who purports to develop and sell residential stands on the said property to unsuspecting members of the public is doing it illegally,” the statement read.

Zanu PF last week distanced itself from land barons using its name to illegally occupy farms in urban areas where they parceled out housing stands to home seekers.

The government and police have also vowed to take stern action against illegal occupation of state land and several arrests have been in recent weeks.

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Source: If A Constitutional Coup Exists, Why Don’t We Amend Our Constitution to Include a How-to Guide for Such a Coup?

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